Southern Nicaragua has definitely become crowded, especially in the last year. Two years ago when I moved here, it wasn't that way, but there's no escaping the fact now, that the relatively few spots, combined with the high number of surf tour operations has created a crowd factor. I wouldn't recommend spending much money to come to Nica to surf, especially compared to Indonesia. If you're goiing to surf in a crowd, do it on amazing waves without super long lulls. Unfortunately north of Salinas/Popoyo the wind is onshore most days after ten oclock, so going north, which can be productive on certain tides, isn't always a cure all for escaping crowds, as often it will be blown out.

It's a total bummer. The big problem is the lack of access - nobody can do anything about the surf or lack of coastal features but when you let people buy up whole beaches and close them off - you gotta problem. A few years back on one of my many visa runs to Nicaragua (I love the place btw) I could drive to about 4 beaches or so south of SJDS. How many now? You guys will never believe this but it's so painfully true : there are so many breaks within an hour of Playa (overcrowded kookviller or whatever you want to call it) Jaco - that I can surf with less than 10 people a day - anyday.
I can drive to over 20 beaches within an hour - points, reefs, beaches and rivermouths. Wake up and smell the pitching Hermosa barrels guys.... Roca Loca, Escon, Barranca

Hi Elizabeth,
I am going to be in country from 6/18 thru 7/2. Planning to explore as much of the coast as I can. My cousin lives in Managua and he travels with me when I visit, makes life really easy. I haven't decided on a program yet but let me know if you want to try and hook up.

just back and the nightmare continues. the tour/camp operators are pounding the most popular breaks with boatloads of surfers - 26 people in the water last friday. they are also buying up land and then turning around and selling to their customers with a huge mark up. one bragged to us how he is making money faster than he can count it. if you book your trip and pay your money be prepared to surf in a crowd. oh well, on to the next "undiscovered country." it was fun while it lasted.

Hello guys, Nicaragua is not so crowdy. But the month of july and august everybody comes. I' ve got a surf-camp in Playa Gigante, in march, may, october,
november the swell is very good and nobody in the water. Manzanillo, Ponga are empty. Choose your period and Nicaragua could stay the perfect destination. I don't speak about all the coast where nobody his surfing. I choose Nicragua for that.
MOMO Playa Gigante

yes its true,I entered nicaragua 2-02 in silnas/popoyo area,only one guy
surfing j.j. . i stayed ,bought mt. top across from jj camp and
began surfing alone for six months . jj used my land purchase money to upgrade his camp and carve rd. to sell more land to vistors to his camp.
six months later the poor nicas were given by sandinasits beach front property 1km. north popoyo,they built 3 surf camps in 3months and jj doubled his capacity as well .another
surfer lance opened surf camp next door to jj and also pulled
clients around to all the surf spots.
by july 03 the line up was 20 -30 people 6am-11am &
3pm - 6pm all cutting one another off !!

and.......add that up to the surfers who invade popoyo from san juan sur when the computer surf report says big swell on
the way , the crowds swell bigger than the 1st world , cats out
the bag on nicaragua !! its expensive, crowded , overrated by
outdated information by surf camps that doesnt prove true but is facts of the past put up as todays truths to pay for their
thirst to make a buck sitting in quote "paradise" atop heavy
debt in constructing surf camps and only way to keep going is
enter the people for surfing. more camps , more people !

What's the definition of INSANITY? Making the same mistakes over and over, but expecting a different result each time. Why don't all these guys who open all these "surf camps" go to spots that have been ghettoized by them and learn from their mistakes instead of repeating them. Look at Tamarindo,or Bingin in Indo, just to name a couple. It's a fantasy that every guy with a hardon to open a surf camp is going to be the next Tavarua. The only thing they're going to do is ruin it for themselves and everyone else and put themselves out of business. The Market always takes care of itself and there are going to be alot of busted surf camps soon.